Category Archives: Uncategorized

A YouTube audio clip of an iconic broadcast from the American journalist Edward R Murrow. It’s difficult to overstate his importance in shaping American opinion during the Second World War. His broadcasts are possibly the greatest radio journalism of all … Continue reading →

Among the principal attractions of Harvard for these privileged students was the university’s commitment to segregating them from aspiring middle-class boys. The Groton graduates ate all their meals together and socialized only with one another or with alumni of elite … Continue reading →

“What are you reading, old man?” The KGB officer asked “I’m learning Hebrew, comrade,” replied Saul an old Jew. “Why are you learning Hebrew? You know it takes years to get a permission to travel to Israel? You will die … Continue reading →

Emperor Meiji began a modernisation programme of Japan’s armed forces from 1868 onwards by partnering with Britain and Germany. Naval officers were sent to Britain and army officers to Germany. These officers imbibed the military culture of their hosts. Equipment … Continue reading →

“Remember you’re fighting for this woman’s honour, which is probably more than she ever did.” Groucho Marx as Rufus T Firefly – Duck Soup (1933)

Anyone familiar with the history of Nazi Germany will know Speer was a senior member of Hitler’s entourage and therefore find the title surprising. The ‘Truth’ Gitta highlights is whether or not Speer knew about the Holocaust. It hardly seems … Continue reading →

“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” (flips to the back of the book) I’m not going to read 380 pages if he can’t even make up his mind in the first two sentences. [an … Continue reading →

The halo effect has…. pernicious consequences. In one study, the same examination scripts were rewritten twice, once in good handwriting and once in bad handwriting. They were then given to two sets of examiners: each saw all the scripts with … Continue reading →

“He [Speer] also told the orchestra’s manager to schedule a series of last concerts. ‘When I asked them to play Bruckner’s Romantic Symphony, I told him, it would mean the end was near and the musicians should get ready to … Continue reading →